NFL News: Jets Interim HC Jeff Ulbrich, Falcons Agree to Contract as New DC

The Atlanta Falcons have hired New York Jets interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich as their defensive coordinator, the team announced on Saturday.

Ulbrich finished the season with the Jets after taking over following the firing of former head coach Robert Saleh, leading the team to a 3-9 finish over its final 12 games.

The announcement comes after Atlanta had interviews with several other coaches, including Matt Eberflus, Steve Wilks, Grady Brown and Derrick Ansley in addition to others.

Former defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake and the Falcons parted ways on Jan. 11 after one season together, as Atlanta's defense allowed 345.2 yards and 24.9 points per game.

Ulbrich, a former ten-year NFL linebacker, began his defensive coordinator career with the Falcons in 2020 before spending four years with the Jets.

Prior to that, he worked as a linebackers coach from 2015-19 under former Falcons head coach Dan Quinn, alongside current head coach Raheem Morris, who is a close friend, per the Atlanta Falcons' Tori McElhaney. Morris promoted Ulbrich from working as the linebackers coach to defensive coordinator when he served as interim head coach in 2020.

"In this day and age, this current player's culture in the NFL, there's not a better candidate in my opinion," Ulbrich said of Morris, according to the Atlanta Falcons' Will McFadden. "You have to have the ability to relate to the current player. You have to have the ability to create an environment for the current player that is not necessarily built in the old NFL world, in my opinion, for these kids to thrive. They're just not raised the same way, football is not played the same way. He's one of those rare guys that has that ability to create the environment that's necessary."

When Ulbrich was promoted to interim head coach of the Jets during Week 6 of the 2024 season, he leaned on Morris for advice and support leading up to his first game as head coach.

Now, the two are reunited and prepared to turn around the Falcons, who finished 8-9 and second in the NFC South.